Divine Wisdom and Warning

Home , Chai (symbol), Gematria, Hebrew spelling

Decoded Messages from God

Nicholas Gura

First published in 2015 by Hamilton Books 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 Hamilton Books Acquisitions Department (301) 459-3366

Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB, United Kingdom

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015932571 ISBN: 978-0-7618-6572-8 (pbk : alk. paper)—ISBN: 978-0-7618-6573-5 (electronic)

Cover art by Catherine Gura

TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992. To my two heroes the Honorable Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Beate Klarsfeld Contents

Acknowledgments vii

I: Divine Messages: Real or Random? 1 1 The Discovery 3 2 Gematria: God’s Math or Numerical Coincidence? 11

II: Divine Wisdom and Warning for Timeless Questions and Mysteries 19 3 Why Are We Here? Why Does the World Exist? 21 4 Who Wrote the Bible? Is the Bible Really True? 35 5 Was Jesus Actually a Messenger of God? 51 6 What Is God’s True Religion? 61 7 Do We Really Have Free Will? 69 8 What Are the Minimum Requirements for Entry into Heaven? And What Happens after Death? 79 9 Suffering: Is It Divine Punishment? 91

III: Divine Wisdom and Warning Regarding Science 95 10 Do Science and the Bible Conflict? 97 11 The Environment: Heal It or Ignore It? 107 12 The Mystery of Quantum Theory Revealed 117 13 Did the Biblical Miracle of the “Parting of the Sea” Actually Occur? 125

v vi Contents

IV: Divine Wisdom and Warning for Major Concepts, Issues, and Events 137 14 Was 9/11 a Random Date or Preordained? 139 15 What Is the Lesson of the Holocaust? 149 16 Peace: Make It or Cry Out 161 17 What Does Zion Represent? 171 18 Anti-Semitism: Is It Hatred of Jews or of God Himself? 181 19 Where Are the Greats of the Generation? 191 20 A Curse upon Corruption 197

V: Divine Wisdom and Coaching for a Great Life 203 21 Feed the Hungry 205 22 Honor Mothers . . . but Not Daughters? 213

Epilogue: What Does God Say about Gematria? 219 Index 221 Acknowledgments

I want to thank my wife, Catherine, for her many contributions to this book, including her original painting for the cover, editing, interpretations of the material, myriad suggestions, and her support. I would also like to thank Marilyn Horowitz, Barb Burg, Arielle Eckstut, Sharon Goldinger, and Michael Levin, for their encouragement and help. I am grateful to Rabbi Aron Mathless, Rabbi Binny Freedman, and Rabbi Elie Weinstock, for sharing their wisdom and knowledge. Thank you to Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, and the Ramaz Yeshiva, for providing the foundation for my love and understanding of Judaism. Ad- ditional thanks to Esther Kustanowitz, for reading the manuscript and for her wonderful editing and contributions. Many thanks to my copy editor, Adam Nadler, whose erudition and style made an enormous difference. Thanks to my friend Bertrand Laurent and to my family, who provided me with a well-rounded education. Many thanks to Hamilton Books, especially Julie E. Kirsch and Nicolette Amstutz for their great help. I am extremely grateful to Marsha Brooks for her expert guidance. And thanks to Bruce Bleecker, for his wisdom and friendship. Dr. Nicholas Gura

I want to express my deepest gratitude to my husband, Nicholas, who wel- comed my contributions to both the editing and the cover painting of this book. Additionally, I would like to thank the School of Visual Arts, in New York City, whose talented faculty has been a guide and inspiration, in particular Elizabeth Sayles, Shelley Haven, and Melanie Marder Parks. And a special thanks to Joyce Grossbard, for her wisdom, warmth, and encouragement. Catherine Gura

vii I

Divine Messages: Real or Random? Chapter One

The Discovery

After 9/11 we all searched for answers. Some demanded government action, others focused on apprehending the evildoers, and many suffered the emo- tional and physical fallout of that terrible day. I, too, sought answers, but by using a method 3,200 years old and deeply embedded in the Jewish tradition. Gematria, most commonly referred to as Jewish numerology, is the tradition of assigning specific, traditionally prescribed numbers to Hebrew letters in order to convert text into a number. This practice allows words and phrases with identical numerical values to be compared. When two phrases share the same numerical value, it reveals a hidden relationship between them that teaches us deeper meanings and associations. For example, the Hebrew word for “soul” (Neshama) has the numerical value of 395, and a phrase from Psalm 46:6: “God is within her” (Elokim B’kirbah) has the same value, revealing that God resides within the soul. A second example: a phrase from the Book of Esther 2:2: “beautiful of appearance” (in Hebrew Tovote Mar- eh) has the numerical value of 669, and a phrase from Leviticus 26:6: “peace on earth” (Shalom B’aretz) has the identical numerical value. Therefore, Gematria reveals the hidden wisdom that “peace on earth” is the true “beautiful of appearance.” The earliest reference to Gematria is found in the Book of Genesis Chap- ter 14:14, when Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, is referred to as “318 servants.” The Talmud (the ancient authoritative book of Jewish law) explains that 318 is the Gematria (or numerical value) of the name Eliezer. Gematria is used throughout the Talmud to explain biblical text, and has been used by biblical commentators for over 2,000 years to enhance their interpretations. Others have been fascinated with Gematria, including Sir Isaac Newton, who dedicated much time to using it to search for the key to unlock hidden biblical wisdom. He was not successful.

3 4 Chapter 1

I was first introduced to Gematria in the third grade at the Ramaz Yeshiva in New York City. After the Israeli Six-Day War, my seventh-grade Bible teacher, Mr. Rappaport, told the class that the total number of Israeli soldiers killed in the war was 679. He wrote the number on the blackboard and said, “Using Gematria, the Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 679 can be used to spell the Hebrew word Ateret.” Ateret is defined in the Hebrew dictionary as the “crown or glory of [victory].” Although I didn’t grasp the significance of Mr. Rappaport’s comment that day, many years later I incor- porated his insight into my own, new gematrial technique. The events of 9/11 rekindled my interest in the hidden meaning of numbers and letters. I wondered if 911 was a random number or if it had any greater significance. Eventually, I discovered that the numbers 9 and 11 are associated with three other tragic and horrific events. According to historical accounts, approximately 2,600 years ago, in 586 B.C.E., on the 9th day of the 11th month of the Jewish calendar (the Ninth of Av), the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Temple was soon rebuilt, but in 70 C.E., also on the 9th day of the 11th month, the Romans destroyed the Second Holy Temple. The numbers 9 and 11 appear again in 1938 Nazi Germany. On Novem- ber 9, the 9th day of the 11th month of our modern calendar, thousands of Jewish stores were looted and destroyed, hundreds of synagogues burned, and over 20,000 Jewish citizens were sent to concentration camps. That day, known as Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), should have been a wake- up call to the world that Nazi Germany was a major threat. These discoveries encouraged me to continue exploring Gematria. It was a very natural fit. I have an undergraduate degree in bioengineering from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science and a D.D.S. from the New York University College of Dentistry. After graduating from dental school, I worked on Wall Street for over 20 years, trading stock options on the floor of the American Stock Exchange. I am also a lifelong enthusiast of puzzles and games, and an expert in backgammon. Each of these areas of study prepared me for my work with Gematria. Then one night in 2006 my wife showed me page 484 of the book The Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten. It was a brief chapter on Gematria, which I read with great interest. Then she turned on the television and began watch- ing the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. The judge announced the next word, “gematrial,” and continued with the definition: “Of, or pertaining to, the study of Gematria.” My wife and I looked at each other. What was the probability that she would turn on the TV at that exact moment, to that channel, to the word “gematrial,” immediately after I had read the Gematria chapter? It could have been a coincidence, but to me it was a sign that I needed to continue with my work. The Discovery 5

After two more years of intensive research, I devised a new gematrial technique, easily verifiable and reproducible without the use of a computer, that revealed messages of wisdom and warning embedded in Hebrew words and phrases. These revealed messages were both profound and metaphorical, and appeared to answer timeless questions and mysteries such as: Why does the world exist? Who wrote the Old Testament? Is the Bible true? Was Jesus actually a messenger of God? What is the secret to being with God? Is there a conflict between science and the Bible? Why is quantum theory so strange? And what are the minimum requirements for entry into heaven? My first discovery came in 2008, a month before Passover. I had been thinking about the upcoming Seder, a ceremonial dinner held on the first and second nights of Passover to commemorate the Children of Israel’s exodus from Egypt in approximately 1,250 B.C.E. After having attended Seders for over 40 years, I wanted to contribute something new to the dinner conversa- tion. The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach. Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a certain, specific numerical value, ranging from Aleph’s 1 to Tav’s 400. So, I took the three Hebrew letters that spell Pesach, used Gema- tria to assign the appropriate number to each letter, and added up their values (80 + 60 + 8). This yielded a total numerical value of 148. I then converted the number 148 into the three specific and unique Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to it. This is a simple and straightforward exercise. Here are the steps required to transform the 148 numerical value of Passover (Pesach) into letters: 100 generates the specific letter that corresponds to 100 (Koof); 40 generates the specific letter that corresponds to 40 (Mem); and 8 generates the specific letter that corresponds to 8 (Chet). This yields a new set of three letters, which together spell the Hebrew word for “flour” (Kemach). Flour is the key ingredient of matzah, the unleavened bread central to the Passover holiday. (Chapter 2 of this book contains the complete step-by-step mathematics of this technique.) After attending many years of classes, sermons, and lectures on the topic of Passover, I thought I had heard it all. But this was a new insight and I found the discovery exciting. Because of my engineering education and my trading experience, I also understood the odds. Because the Hebrew word for Passover was over 3,200 years old, the probability was low that after all this time, I had actually decoded a hidden message. Could it really be that I had devised a new technique that revealed a hidden embedded message, possibly even divine in origin? I decided to test the technique with five significant Hebrew biblical words. Using my Gematrial technique the Hebrew word for “peace” (Sha- lom) generated the hidden word “make” (Asu), which I interpreted as con- veying the directive “to make peace.” The word “Israel” generated the hidden message “I shall watch over” (Eshmor), interpreted as: “I God shall watch over Israel.” The word “Zion” generated “His [God’s] nest” (Keno). 6 Chapter 1

The Hebrew word “Torah,” the biblical term for the “Old Testament,” generated “awe of” (Yirot). And the Hebrew word “Menorah” (candelabra) generated the word for “fire” (Aish). I had studied enough probability theory to know that if a scientific technique or theory works perfectly with five random samples, there is a strong probability that the theory has validity. Still, while I was confident that I had uncovered something intriguing, I remained cautious about proclaiming my discovery. So many others have studied and used Gematria, why had no one else ever discovered this? According to Jewish tradition, the Torah (The Five Books of Moses) was transcribed by Moses on Mount Sinai. Why would these embedded messages be revealed now? Then I realized something so profound that it finally convinced me my discovery was valid: The new letters generated by my method could be rearranged to spell multiple words, and each word described an aspect of the original topic. For example, embedded within the Hebrew word for “Pass- over” are the three Hebrew letters that spell “flour,” but these letters (kuf, mem, chet), can also be rearranged to spell five other words, each one describing a different aspect of Passover. In addition, I often found that the new letters spelled a word that could be interpreted as a positive directive, but if the directive is ignored, the same letters rearranged spelled a warning. For example, embedded in the Hebrew word for “peace” is the directive “make.” But rearrange the Hebrew letters of “make” (Asu) and they spell the word for “cry out” (Shiva). This I interpreted as a warning for what will happen if the directive “to make peace” is ignored: “You shall cry out.” A second example is that embedded in the Hebrew phrase for “human rights” (Mishpat Gever), found in the Book of Lamentations 3:35, are the hidden Hebrew letters that spell the directive “For [all] generations” (L’Dorot). But when those same hidden letters are rearranged, they also spell the word for “to descend” (La- redet). This is interpreted as a warning: “If you do not provide for human rights for all generations, you shall descend.” This warning may be taken metaphorically or literally. When I began to share my discovery, both Jews and non-Jews, were moved by the mathematically generated messages. I also sought out and received acknowledgment from many rabbis and scholars that my techniques and results were original. This included a Ph.D. in linguistics; a professor of Hebrew; and outstanding rabbis from America and Israel. After testing thousands of other Hebrew words and phrases, I made a second discovery applicable to every Hebrew word or phrase: that each number, or numerical value, represents a specific theme. (The principle of “themes,” and the process by which they are identified and confirmed, is explained and expounded upon in the next chapter, and is applied in each of the succeeding chapters.) In short, it seems as if God created the world with The Discovery 7 numbers. Convert any Hebrew text into a number and that number represents a specific principle or topic. For example, after studying and analyzing all known Hebrew text with the numerical value of 355, I concluded that 355 represents a philosophical question, found in Psalm 36:8: “What is valuable?” (In Hebrew, Ma Yakar). Every Hebrew word or phrase that has the numerical value of 355 can therefore be interpreted as referring to the issue of: What is valuable? Two basic sets of answers were revealed: “to attain power and wealth at any cost,” with the “Pharaoh” (a numerical value of 355) as the symbol, and “to help repair the world,” with “Oprah” (also a numerical value of 355) as the symbol. In Hebrew, the words “Oprah” and “Pharaoh” consist of the identical letters. The number 281 has been identified as the theme of “Russia.” Written in Hebrew letters, it is pronounced the same as in English, and its numerical value is 281. The Hebrew words and phrases with that numerical value have been found to reveal aspects of Russia. This includes its past, present, and even its possible future: “heal,” “glory,” or “ashes”? The number 356 represents America (again spelled with Hebrew letters but pronounced the same as in English). An analysis of the word and the value of its letters reveal insights about America’s purpose, why some coun- tries hate America, and the specific actions necessary to shift the perception of the haters. The number 353 represents the theme of “happiness;” 486 represents the commandment “Thou Shalt Not Steal”; 357 “humanity”; 138 “success”; 661 “gossip”; 911 “September 11th”; 614 “freedom”; 458 “daughters”; 788 “har- mony in the home”; and so on. These techniques and principles when applied to biblical or Talmudic text, or even to text from the Hebrew dictionary, have consistently uncovered what appear to be hidden, embedded messages. After converting less than 1 percent of the Bible into numbers, and then applying my methods, I uncovered thousands of messages of incredible beauty. Sometimes the embedded messages state profound wisdom, and sometimes they are directives, such as “make peace” or “human rights for all generations.” But often they simply provide perfect summaries of the text. This supports the idea that the messages are not a coincidence and, to me, implies that God may actually be their author. Here are nine examples of embedded messages:

1. From the story of Moses and God at the Burning Bush, the Book of Exodus 3:4 states: “God from amidst the bush” (A-donai Metoch Has- neh). This phrase has a numerical value of 672, and the specific and unique Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 672 spell the Hebrew word for “burns” (Bo-eret). “Burns” is the exact same verb used in the 8 Chapter 1

previous biblical sentence describing the Burning Bush, thus suggest- ing that the embedded message is not a coincidence. 2. Exodus 34:28 recounts the story of Moses meeting God on Mount Sinai. It states: “Forty days and forty nights” (Arbaim Yom V’arbaim Lailah). This phrase has a numerical value of 783, and the specific and unique Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 783 spell “you shall meet”(Tifgosh). 3. The Book of Judges contains the history of the judges of ancient Israel. Deborah was the sole female judge. Judges 5:12 states: “Arise, arise, Deborah” (Oori Oori Devorah). This phrase has a numerical value of 789, and the specific and unique Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 789 spell “female judge” (Shophetet). 4. In the Jewish mystical tradition, the most famous example of hidden wisdom is the Kabbalah (widely disseminated in the 13th century C.E.). The Gematria of the term “hidden wisdom” (Chachma Nista- rah) is 788, and the specific and unique Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 788 spell the word for “you shall search for” (T’cha-pace). 5. “Kindness and compassion” (Chesed V’Rachamim), Psalm 103:4, has a numerical value of 376. The Hebrew letters that correspond exactly with 376 spell the word for “do” (Asu). 6. The word “life” (Chaim), from Genesis 2:7, has a numerical value of 68. The Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 68 spell “have compassion” (Chas). Compassion is the essential element for a meaningful and beautiful life. 7. From the Book of Malachi 2:10, the phrase “Did not one God create us all?”(Halo E-L Echad Brah-anu), has a numerical value of 345. The unique and specific Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 345 spell the word used to refer to God (Hashem). This is literally “The Name” of the one God that created us all. 8. This method can also be applied to examples from modern Hebrew. Here is an example of text from The Complete Hebrew English Dic- tionary, by Reuben Alcalay. The term for “greed” (Ahavat Betza) has a numerical value of 570. There are two sets of Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 570. One set spells “evil” (Resha) and the second set spells “arrogance” (Ah-tak). 9. Here is an example from the Midrash (an ancient commentary, origi- nally peserved orally, written down beginning in the 2nd century C.E.). In discussing God’s annual decrees on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), of who lives and who dies, the Midrash refers to God’s: “ledgers of life and ledgers of death” (Sifray chaim V’sifray maytim). “Ledgers of life” (Sifray chaim), has a numerical value of 418, and the three specific Hebrew letters that correspond exactly with 418 spell the word for “you shall live” (T’chee). “And ledgers of The Discovery 9

death” (V’sifray maytim), has a numerical value of 846, and the four specific Hebrew letters that correspond exactly with 846 spell the word for “you shall die” (Tamoot).

These examples illustrate the beauty that the new techniques and methods reveal. But these techniques do not apply only to ancient biblical text—it seems that they can be used to predict current events and even reveal the more distant future. For example, in 2011, the government of Israel faced a difficult decision. Should they give up 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for one kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit? There were excellent arguments pro and con, and no one knew for sure what to do. However, Gematria seemed to predict, or at least suggest, the answer! The numerical value of the Hebrew letters of “Gilad Shalit” is 456, and the unique and specific letters that correspond exactly with 456 spell the word for “You shall give” (T’nu). My first discovery, which reveals messages directly embedded in Hebrew words and phrases, works most of the time. But my second discovery, which identifies the “themes” of numbers, works all of the time. As you will see in each chapter, my techniques mathematically generate messages of wisdom and warning that will benefit individuals, families, and nations. The revealed wisdom ranges from powerful coaching for relationships to disclosing what may happen after death. The mathematically generated messages can often be interpreted as literal or metaphorical and are similar to poetry in that, with only a few words, they condense multiple layers of meaning. The power and clarity of the messages made it mandatory for the title of this book to contain the words “divine” and “God.” But let me be clear: I am not a Messiah or even a messenger of God. Consider me equivalent to the person who framed Picasso’s paintings. The paintings are incredibly valuable and treasured by all, but no one cares about the framer. He just wanted to do a good enough job so that the frame would not distract from the greatness of the art. But is it possible that, thousands of years ago, the messages were embedded by some brilliant person and not by God? To make each distinct word, phrase, and verse add up to a numerical value that has profound meaning is incredibly complex and seems unlikely to be the work of a human being. In addition, my techniques, when applied to modern Hebrew text, continue to reveal powerful messages embedded within them. It is hard to believe that this is a coincidence. For example, the Hebrew word for “Karma,” a concept from the Hindu religion, was only recently added to the Hebrew dictionary (pronounced the same as in English but spelled with Hebrew letters). It has a numerical value of 345, and the three unique Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 345 spell the Hebrew word most commonly used to refer to God, Hashem (literal- 10 Chapter 1 ly translated as “The Name”). If you rearrange the Hebrew letters of the word “Karma,” you spell the word for “chance” or “fate” (Mikreh). Therefore, the Hebrew word for chance also has a numerical value of 345, and generates the same three unique and specific Hebrew letters that spell the Hebrew word used to refer to God. This suggests the notion that the guiding force beneath both karmic and chance events is The Name of God. While this book is complete, it is not finished. Hundreds of messages have not been included. Simply too much material has been generated. Nevertheless, when you read any chapter or page of this book, it is my hope that you will see the wisdom and beauty of the messages. But as you read, ask yourself this question: Are the messages actually from God or are they mere numerical coincidence? Read on, and after considering what I have put forth, decide for yourself. Chapter Two

Gematria

God’s Math or Numerical Coincidence?

This chapter confronts the fundamental question: Does using Gematria uncover knowledge divine in origin or just numerical coincidence? First, let us briefly review the history and definition of Gematria. On the wall of every classroom where Hebrew is taught hangs a chart that shows the 22 Hebrew letters and their corresponding numerical values ranging from 1 to 400 (see Table 2.1). According to Jewish tradition, these numerical values, or Gematrias, have been passed down from generation to generation, for over 3,000 years, since the time of Moses on Mount Sinai. Simple addition is used to calculate the numerical value of a Hebrew word or phrase: assign the prescribed value to each letter, and then add up all the values. This converts a word or phrase into a number, and this number, the sum total of all the letters, is called its Gematria. An example of this exercise, familiar to many, is that the Hebrew word Chai, defined as “life” or “lives,” has the numerical value of 18. Therefore, the number 18 is considered to be a lucky number. The Talmud teaches that the first recorded use of Gematria appears in the Book of Genesis 14:14. All classic Jewish commentators on the Bible, including the famous, Rashi (1040-1105 C.E.), used Gematria to varying de- grees. The word “Gematria” has a Greek root, due to the Greek presence in Israel from approximately 250 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E., during which time the Old Testament was translated into Greek. The purpose of Gematria is to convert Hebrew text into numbers so that words and phrases of identical numerical values can be compared. When words or phrases share the same numerical value, hidden relationships between them are revealed that teach us new meanings and associations. The

11 12 Chapter 2

Table 2.1. Gematria Table of Numerical Values of the 22 Hebrew Letters

Letter Hebrew Numerical Value 1 א Aleph 2 ב Bet 3 ג Gimmel 4 ד Dalet 5 ה Heh 6 ו Vav 7 ז Zayin 8 ח Chet 9 ט Tet 10 י Yod 20 כ Kaph 30 ל Lamed 40 מ Mem 50 נ Nun 60 ס Samech 70 ע Ayin 80 פ Peh 90 צ Tzadi 100 ק Kuf 200 ר Resh 300 ש Shin 400 ת Tav discoveries presented here have been accessed through this ancient practice of assigning prescribed numbers to Hebrew letters. Many doubt that God wrote the Bible, and these people certainly do not believe that hidden divine wisdom is embedded in the text. Yet even those who do believe should be skeptical of anyone claiming to reveal hidden messages from God. Therefore, be skeptical, and let Gematria and the new techniques introduced in the first chapter prove themselves. For example, the first sentence of the Bible states: “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.” In Hebrew, the first word in that sentence (Beraishis) is defined as “In the beginning.” If the Bible were indeed written by God, and if my work is valid, then the result of applying my techniques to “In the beginning” may reveal mathematically generated an- Gematria 13 swers to the timeless question: What was God actually thinking about at the beginning of time? At the very least, we could expect some new information regarding the universe: Is it random or is there purpose? Perhaps we can even learn what God wants from us. What follows is but a partial look at the results of a gematrial analysis of “In the beginning.” After assigning the appropriate number to each Hebrew letter and adding up each value, the total numerical value of “In the beginning” is calculated to be 913. As it turns out, 913 is also the numerical value of the phrase “Do no evil” or “Do no wrong” (Lo Ta-asu Avel), from the Book of Leviticus 19:15. That these two phrases share the identical numerical value reveals a hidden relationship between them, and suggests that intrinsic to the creation of the world, the command to do no evil has primary importance. In the Book of Genesis, Chapter 5 discloses the genealogy of the human race, and the names of the ancestors from which we all have descended are listed. Genesis 5:1 states: “This is the account of the history of mankind, on the day that God created a person, He created him in the image of God.” The Hebrew phrase “Created in the image of God” (B’dmut Elokim Asah) has a 913 numerical value. Because all text with a 913 value can be understood as referring to something of primary importance, this phrase teaches us an essential lesson. It reminds us that because each person has been created in the image of God they are holy and hence deserving of dignity and respect. Imagine if we all behaved according to that idea. The hidden wisdom here is that, while most people claim to love and respect God, it is actually how we treat each other that determines our relationship with God. The Bible can be described as the instruction manual for life, the defini- tive guide to what is permitted and what is forbidden. The numerical value of the Hebrew words for “permitted” and “forbidden” (Mutar Asur), taken from Talmud Avodah Zarah, page 34a, also add up to 913. This section of the Talmud deals with the laws pertaining to the prohibition of idolatry. Accord- ing to the sages of the Talmud, the prohibition of idolatry is a universal law that applies to every human being. When the Bible introduces the concept of monotheism to humanity, in the story of God appearing to Abraham (at that time known as Abram), in the Book of Genesis 17:1, it states: “And God appeared to Abram and said to him I am God,” (Vayera A-donai El Abram Vayomare Elav Ani E-L). This phrase also possesses the identical numerical value of 913 and emphasizes that monotheism is a primary law of creation. Another phrase with a 913 Gematria seems to reveal the core and essence of monotheism: “The two tablets of stone” (Shnay Luchot Avanim), found in the Sabbath Morning Shemoneh Esreh prayer, and in Exodus 34:4-5 (Shnay Luchot Avanim V’). According to the Bible, Moses inscribed the Ten Com- mandments upon two tablets of stone on Mount Sinai. And to underline the primary importance of the Bible and the Ten Commandments, a phrase stat- 14 Chapter 2 ing that Moses “received the Torah [Old Testament] from Sinai” (Kebale Torah Me-Seenai), found in Mishnah Avot 1:A, has the same numerical value of 913. (The Mishnah is the Jewish Oral Law, also believed to have been received by Moses on Sinai, and was transcribed between 200 and 500 C.E.) Incredibly, if we rearrange the Hebrew letters of “In the beginning,” it spells the actual birth date of the world: “The first of Tishrei” (in Hebrew “Aleph B’Tishrei). This is the date of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, which celebrates the birth of the world. Traditionally, Gematria has been used only to convert words into numbers, thus revealing text of identical values, as with the “In the beginning” example. While this process has traditionally revealed beautiful and compel- ling associations, this book introduces a new technique: using numbers to generate letters. In other words, after converting a word or phrase into a number, that number is used to generate the specific and unique letters that correspond exactly to it. Thus, with this new method, introduced in the first chapter and described below in greater detail, biblical text of multiple words is transformed into a few new letters that can be arranged to spell other words. These words can then be interpreted as divine messages of wisdom or warning. Here is the result of applying this technique to 913 (the numerical value of “In the beginning”). The five Hebrew letters that correspond exactly with can spell the Hebrew word for “I chased” (Garashti), interpreted (תשריג) 913 here as a description of God chasing Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. With the expulsion from Eden, Earth and Heaven became split. But rearrange the Hebrew letters of “I chased” and they spell the word for “I made a bridge” (Gasharti). This reveals that, although God created the world separate from Heaven (or the Garden of Eden), He made a bridge between them. When these same letters are rearranged again, they spell the secret to crossing the bridge back to the Garden of Eden: “That the 613” (Sheh- Taryag). This refers to honoring and observing the 613 commandments of the Torah (The Five Books of Moses). The rest of this chapter consists of various examples of divine wisdom and warning accessed through my new use of Gematria. For those who are interested, the following example provides the step-by-step mathematics of applying my technique to the Hebrew word for “peace,” Shalom. Shalom consists of four letters: Shin, which has a value of 300; La-med, which has a value of 30; Vuv which has a value of 6; and Mem, which has a value of 40. When the numerical value of each letter is added up (300 + 30 + 6 + 40), the total value is 376. Therefore, the Gematria, or the numerical value of the word Shalom, is 376. Whereas traditional Gematria ends here, my technique goes a step further. I use the number 376 to generate a new set of letters, the unique and specific Hebrew letters that exactly correspond to 376. The specific letter that corresponds exactly to 300 is the letter Shin; the specific letter Gematria 15 that corresponds exactly with 70 is Ayin; and the specific letter that corresponds to 6 is Vav. These three new letters can be used to spell the Hebrew word for “make,” Asu. This is interpreted as the divine directive “to make peace.” In addition, these new letters rearranged spell the Hebrew word for “cry out,” Sheeva. This is interpreted as the warning for what will happen if you do not make peace. Therefore, directly embedded in the Hebrew word for peace is the hidden message: “Make peace or you shall cry out.” (Note: Those of you who are familiar with the field of differential equa- tions may notice that this technique is analogous to the Laplace transform, used to simplify the solution of a differential equation by converting the equation from calculus into an algebraic polynomial equation. This allows the equation to be solved algebraically and then transformed back into calculus.) I have mentioned, that after converting thousands of ancient and modern Hebrew words and phrases into numbers, I made a second discovery: that every number represents a particular theme, such as a principle, an idea, or a major event. For example, all Hebrew text with a numerical value of 911 can be interpreted as referring to an aspect of the 9/11 attack! This includes the significance of the date, details about the perpetrators, the dust and ashes of the fallen towers, the family members searching in vain for survivors, the directive to respond, specific prayers that should be recited, the holiness of the victims, and prophetic messages about the ultimate outcome. (See the chapter on 9/11 for the complete discussion.) These new techniques reveal powerful new information, including wisdom that resolves the conflict between the Bible and science, incredible messages regarding Jesus, and the connection between charity and success. Simply take any word or phrase, biblical or otherwise, write it in Hebrew, and calculate its Gematria by converting the letters into numbers. Then add each number and calculate the total. This sum represents a theme. Once you identify the theme you can understand the hidden meaning of all words and phrases that have the identical numerical value. This concept of themes has been tested with tens of thousands of examples, and it has consistently been validated. Can this really be a coincidence? Identifying and confirming a theme is usually simple. Major concepts, such as peace and free will leap out as examples, as do major events, such as the Holocaust. But without identifying the theme, the embedded messages may be impossible to understand. What follows is the story of the identifica- tion of the theme of the number 751. In 2008, I noticed that the Hebrew phrase “make peace” (Aseh Shalom), from Isaiah 45:7 and from the Kaddish prayer, had a Gematria of 751. But the four specific unique letters that corresponded to 751 spelled the Hebrew word for “hatred of” (Sin-ot). This seemed very confusing; what did “hatred of” have to do with “make peace”? The two phrases are almost opposites. 16 Chapter 2

This led to a search for a 751 theme: a word or phrase whose letters were also valued at 751, that would give rise to these two possible responses or choices: the choice to make peace and the choice to promote the hatred of someone or something. Sections of the Bible, the Jewish prayers, and the Hebrew dictionary were mathematically analyzed looking for the answer to the mystery of 751. By consulting the Website Biblewheel.com (an excellent site dedicated to Ge- matria), I could see the list of all words in the Old Testament that have the numerical value of 751. I read each one. The first entry was “to greet you” (Likratcha), from Genesis 32:7. This phrase didn’t seem to help nor did the other entries. After six months of looking for the theme, I stopped and continued to work on other numbers. A few weeks later, in the mail, I received a letter from a charity that collects money to help pay for proper burials for those who cannot afford them. The letter was in Hebrew, and one sentence translated as: “On the merit of the dead the world exists.” The phrase “the world exists” (Ha-Olam Mitka-yame) was intriguing, so I calculated its Ge- matria. It equaled 751. Immediately it was clear: the world exists to give us a choice to make peace or to promote the hatred of others. The theme of 751 is “The world exists.” More than a year later, attending synagogue for the two- day holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, I heard a prayer recited: “Today the world is born.” The phrase “The world is born” (Harat Olam), found in Jeremiah 20:17, had a Gematria of 751. This was further confirmation that the theme of 751 had been correctly identified. Armed with this insight, take another look at the phrase “to greet you,” from the Book of Genesis 32:7. Earlier in Genesis, Jacob tricked his blind father and stole the blessing of the firstborn from his older brother, Esau. Esau became furious and wanted to kill Jacob. Jacob’s mother sent him away. After 20 years, Jacob returned home hoping that his brother was no longer angry. Jacob sent messengers to tell Esau that he had returned and that he had brought gifts for him. Genesis 32:7 states: “The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, we came to your brother, Esau, and he is coming to greet you and four hundred men are with him.” Jacob did not know if Esau and his 400 men were coming to greet him in peace or in hatred. The phrase “to greet you” (a 751 Gematria) occurs here because this story is about the choice to make peace or to promote hatred. The phrase “to greet you” is located in several other places in the Bible, and present in all cases is the choice to respond in peace or with hatred. The chapter “Why does the World Exist” will show that all Hebrew words and phrases with a 751 Gematria relate to the theme “The world exists.” As of today, the themes of approximately half the numbers from 1 to 1,091 have been identified. Each chapter in this volume covers one theme and consists of a list of messages of identical numerical value that refer to that specific topic. The messages were generated either by the techniques Gematria 17 introduced here or were found in the Old Testament, the Hebrew prayers, the Talmud, the ancient biblical commentaries, or the modern Hebrew dictionary. Because the spelling of Hebrew words and phrases determines their numerical value, the exact spelling found in the particular source is used. When there is no source attributed to a particular message, that message is a combination of part scripture and part Hebrew dictionary. The math of the messages is accurate. The messages exist. The questions for the reader are: Where do they come from? Are they random or divinely embedded? While I believe the messages are of a divine origin, the brief comments that have been added for clarity are mine alone. Different interpretations may be entirely valid, and in no way do I claim to speak for God. Analyzing the Gematria of biblical names reveals beautiful wisdom. For example, the Hebrew spelling of David, the name of the most famous king of Israel, has a Gematria of 14. The number 14 generates two specific and unique Hebrew letters that spell the word for “hand” (Yad) as well as the word for “enough” (Dai). David’s hand was enough to slay the Philistine giant, Goliath, with his slingshot. The word “hand” also provides a summary of David’s life. With his hand, David played the harp and wrote and com- piled the Book of Psalms. And in approximately 1100 B.C.E., he conquered Jerusalem, established it as the capital of Israel, and instructed Solomon, his son, to build the Holy Temple there. David also gathered and prepared the raw materials for its eventual construction. In addition, according to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will be a descendent of David. Therefore, it could be said that when the Messiah comes and ushers in world peace, it will have been by the hand of David. The Hebrew name Abraham has a 248 Gematria. The number 248 generates three specific, unique, and new Hebrew letters that spell several words, including the word for “compassion” (Ra-chame). Abraham is known for his exceptional acts of compassion. This includes welcoming the stranger, feed- ing the hungry, and even arguing with God to save the inhabitants of the evil city of Sodom. Also, the Hebrew word for “womb” (Reh-chem) can be spelled with these letters. This can be interpreted as metaphoric, that from Abraham’s “womb” came monotheism. Abraham is the father to three of the world’s great religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The three letters can also be rearranged to spell the word for “destruction” or “disgrace” (Cheh- rem). This can be interpreted as the consequences of discarding the teachings and values of Abraham. Here is another example of Gematria facilitating a direct experience of being, literally, in the presence of God’s genius. There is a phrase in Deute- ronomy 18:13 that states: “You shall be with God” (Te-heyeh Im A-donai). The Gematria of this phrase is 556, and the four specific Hebrew letters that correspond exactly to 556 spell the word Tikkun, meaning “repair.” To teach us to repair the world with charity and acts of kindness is the purpose of the 18 Chapter 2

Bible, of the entire Jewish tradition, and of virtually all religions. This suggests that the secret to being with God is to do the work of Tikkun. But rearrange the letters of Tikkun and they spell what will happen if we do not do this work: we will feel “removed” and “cut off” from God (No-take). And if we rearrange the letters yet again, we find that they spell the Hebrew word for “You shall purchase” or “You shall acquire” (Tiknoo), which describes what we often do when we feel removed from God. This illuminates what drives our consumerist society: an attempt to compensate for feeling removed from God. This insight, which uses only four letters to delve so deeply into the universal desire to connect with God, seems proof that Gema- tria is truly God’s math. There are other examples of God’s genius. The Hebrew word Torah, defined as the Five Books of Moses, transcribed by Moses over 3,200 years ago, has a numerical value of 611. Yet, the four specific and unique letters that correspond exactly to that number spell the word for “My Website” or “My place” (Atari), interpreted as God’s Website or God’s place is the To- rah. The Hebrew word for Website was only recently added to the Hebrew language. Who could have known the word for “My Website” 3,200 years ago? The mathematically generated messages in this chapter—and in each chapter of this volume—were found after converting less than 1 percent of the Bible from text into numbers. Most likely, the Bible contains an infinite number of hidden messages. The techniques introduced here can be applied to any word or phrase in the Bible or in the Hebrew language. Therefore the title of this volume is Divine Wisdom and Warning: Decoded Messages from God. It may sound arrogant to claim to have decoded messages from God, but who else could have written the Bible, the best seller of all time, and simultaneously have hidden mathematically coded messages within each word, phrase, and sentence of the text? Chapter Eleven

The Environment

Heal It or Ignore It?

SKY + EARTH = 681

Everyone has an opinion regarding the condition of the environment. Some say that all environmental change is natural, and therefore nothing needs to be done, while many others claim that environmental and climate changes are due to our carelessness, and demand that we take decisive action. Still others are undecided and call for “more studies.” By applying my gematrial techniques to this issue, we reveal clear messages regarding the environment and uncover answers to major questions, including: How important is it to take care of the environment? Are we required to clean it up? What are the consequences for ignoring our environmental challenges? This chapter presents us with a choice: fulfill our responsibilities in an ethical way or ignore our obligations to the physical world. This chapter provides mathematically generated messages of wisdom about the appropriate actions to be taken and attitude to have toward the environment, and discloses warnings for failing to show basic courtesy and respect for it. Scientists agree that almost all of our environmental problems result from human behavior. For example, it is clearly incorrect to blame God for our air and water pollution. However, through the use of Gematria, we can view our environmental problems through a different lens and interpret these issues as divine retribution for our disregard. The information disclosed here is based on a gematrial analysis of the first sentence of the Bible. Genesis 1:1 states: “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.” The Hebrew word for “heaven” can also be

107 108 Chapter 11 interpreted as “sky” (Sha-ma-im) and has a numerical value of 390. The numerical value of the Hebrew word for “earth” (Eretz) is 291. When 291 is added to 390 the sum is 681. The equation is: “Earth” (291) + “Sky” (390) = 681. After extensive research, I have found that every known Hebrew word or phrase with the numerical value of 681 can be interpreted as referring in some way to the environment. This holds true whether the origin of the Hebrew text is the Bible, the prayers, or modern Hebrew dictionaries. There- fore, the number 681 represents and symbolizes the environment and its care. Because the range of values of the Hebrew letters goes only from 1 to 400, there are two ways to represent the number 681 with Hebrew letters. Both of the following sets of letters will be analyzed. 681 = 1 + 80 + 200 + 400 (תרפא) .A 681 = 1 + 80 + 300 + 300 (ששפא) .B The first set of four Hebrew letters that correspond exactly with 681 is These letters can be used to spell five words, listed here as the first five .תרפא messages. The second set of specific letters that correspond to 681 can be used to spell the sixth and seventh messages. All other messages in this chapter also have 681 Gematrias but consist of a variety of different letters.

DIRECTLY EMBEDDED MESSAGES WITHIN “SKY [AND] EARTH”

Message 1: “You shall heal” (T’ra-peh or Tay-rah-pay), Jeremiah 51:8. In addition to providing a clear numerical connection between the environment and the term for “You shall heal,” this may also imply that by healing the environment we may heal ourselves. Message 2: “Healing of” (R’foo-ot), The Complete Hebrew English Dic- tionary, by Reuben Alcalay. This term is used in many prayers, including a prayer for the healing of our bodies and souls. This may be interpreted as a suggestion that we make healing the environment an imperative. Message 3: “You shall beautify,” “You shall glorify,” or “You shall praise” (T’pha-air), The Complete Hebrew English Dictionary, by Reuben Alcalay. Instead of approaching the environment with a sense of entitlement, where we pollute in the name of profits and expedience and systematically destroy ourselves and other species, we should extol and respect it. Message 4: “Grey” or “gloomy” (Ah-pho-rote), an alternative spelling from The Complete Hebrew English Dictionary, by Reuben Alcalay. This is both a literal and metaphorical warning of what will occur if we do not heal the sky. Message 5: “Savagery” or “barbarism” (Pir-oot), an alternative spelling from The Complete Hebrew English Dictionary, by Reuben Alcalay. This The Environment 109 accurately describes the way we viciously consume the resources of the earth and treat the sea, sky, and land. (ששפא) The second set of four letters that corresponds exactly with 681 spells two words that form the next two messages. Message 6: “That breathes” or “That inhales” (Sheh-sha-af), from the Milog Hebrew Hebrew Online Dictionary. Breathing is essential to life, but we too often do not seem to care about the air quality. Even those of us with children seem indifferent. Message 7: “That a magician” (Sheh-a-shaf), from the Milog Hebrew Hebrew Online Dictionary. In regard to the loss of species due to pollution and global climate change, and to the dreadful quality of our water and air, it is as if God is saying, “Only a magician need not be concerned.” This may be interpreted as divine sarcasm.

ENDING THE DEBATE ON WHETHER THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD CONCERN US?

Message 8: “The task that” or “That this task is”(In-yan Asher), Ecclesiastes 3:10. This verse states: “The task that God has given to humanity to be concerned with.” In addition, Verse 3:13 reminds us why we should be concerned when it states: “Indeed, every person who eats, and drinks, and sees the good in all their labor—it is a gift from God.” This encourages us to appreciate the planet for providing us with divine gifts, and implies that we should treat the earth accordingly. Today, many ask: What kind of a world are we leaving for our children? Everyone is aware that the quality of the air and water on earth has declined dramatically. There are multiple reports on the skyrocketing rates of cancer, autism, and asthma in children. And yet, very little is being done to reverse this trend. If we truly love our children, if not ourselves, the following messages should serve to awaken us to the need for real action regarding the environment. Message 9: “Your child shall ask you tomorrow” (Yish-al-cha Bincha Machar), Exodus 13:14. This is a literal reminder that we will be held ac- countable to our children. In the context of the Book of Exodus, this phrase is part of the biblical injunction to celebrate the festival of Passover, com- memorating and recounting the Exodus from Egypt. There is no world event of greater import than the Exodus, because it led to the Children of Israel receiving the Bible, and subsequently to their sharing it with the world. The phrase “Your child shall ask you tomorrow” connects the importance of Passover with the importance of healing the environment by encouraging us to teach our children about both, and implies that as essential as the Bible is 110 Chapter 11 for our spiritual existence, so too is the care of our environment critical for our physical life.

MESSAGES OF WARNING

Message 10: “It is a time of vengeance” (Et Nkamah He), Jeremiah 51:6. The verse states: “For it is a time of vengeance of God He is paying her due.” Because most of our environmental problems are a consequence of human actions, ultimately these problems can be interpreted as a result of God’s anger at our negligence. Message 11: “And you disregard the work of God” (V’et Poe-al A-donai Low Ya-be-too), Isaiah 5:12. The earth and sky are, literally, God’s first recorded works. The message here is that, if we disregard them, it is an especially arrogant and wicked thing. Message 12: “Difficult and evil” (Kaw-sheh V’rah), from 1 Samuel 25:3. In regard to the topic of how we treat the earth, “difficult and evil” describes the behavior of many of us. Message 13: “And I shall destroy” (V’harasti), Ezekiel 13:14. The Book of Ezekiel recounts God’s anger at the people of Israel for forsaking Him and His commandments. Ezekiel warns that destruction will be the consequence. The previous verse, Ezekiel 13:13, states: “Therefore, thus said God the Lord, I will cause a stormy wind to break out in My wrath, and there will be pouring rain in My anger, with huge hailstones in My fury, to cause annihila- tion.” This clearly warns of natural catastrophes if we forsake God, and implies that neglecting the environment is equivalent to turning away from God. Furthermore, this seems to indicate that forsaking the environment will, in turn, cause the environment to forsake us. Message 14: “Sackcloth [and] ashes” (Sok Ay-fair), Esther 4:1. Sackcloth and ashes are biblical signs of mourning and repentance, invoked as pre- emptive measures to admit wrongs and avert serious punishment. This suggests that we too need to admit our sins regarding the environment and, metaphorically, don sackcloth and ashes. Message 15: “Nations have heard your shame” (Shah-moo Goyim Kilo- nech), Jeremiah 46:12. This reminds us that healing the planet is our respon- sibility, but if we do not fulfill it, we will be shamed. Message 16: “The outcry of Sodom” (Za-ah-kot Sodom), Genesis 18:20. According to the Bible, the city of Sodom was destroyed because of its wickedness and corruption. The Stone Edition of the Bible quotes Ibn Ezra (1089–1164), a commentator on the Bible, as claiming that the outcry was “caused by the violence against the innocent.” Here, metaphorically, the innocent party is the environment. The Environment 111

Message 17: “The bad” or “The evil” (Hara-ote), Deuteronomy 31:17. In this section of the Book of Deuteronomy, God expresses His anger at those who stray after other gods. Metaphorically, this tells us that the worship of profits and expediency, a form of idolatry, leads us to disregard the environment. Message 18: “The land will be desolate” (Ha-ah-retz Sh’mama), Exodus 23:29. This is a divine warning of what will happen if we do not change our ways. Message 19: “That I’m a fool” or “That I’m stupid” (Sheh-ani Shoteh), Talmud Yoma, page 84a, words are not consecutive. Out of context, this phrase clearly describes most of mankind because we, as a species, have not made healing the environment a priority. Message 20: “Still continue to be arrogant” (Tosifi L’gav-ah Ode), Zepha- niah 3:11. This chapter in Zephaniah begins: “Woe to the filthy and polluted one.” This reminds us we have spewed filth and pollution into the environment, arrogantly behaving as if we can do exactly what we please without there being any negative consequences. Message 21: “And the day will come when you shall cry out” (Ooz-ock- tem Ba-yom), Book 1 of Samuel 8:18. This is a consequence of what lies ahead if we do not mend our stewardship of the earth. The verse continues with a warning: “God will not answer on that day.” Message 22: “Only evil all the time”(Rock Rah Kol Ha-yom), Genesis 6:5. The full verse of Genesis 6:5 summarizes human history. It states: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every plan devised by his mind was only evil all the time.” Genesis verses 6:6–7 provide an introduction to the story of Noah and the flood, the first and worst natural disaster in human history. They state: “And God regretted that He had made humans on earth, and His heart was saddened. God said: ‘I shall blot out from the earth the humans I have created; humans along with beasts, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I regret that I made them.” It is interesting that these verses from Genesis also accurately describe the global loss of species today. Message 23: “And deceit shall be” (Oo-rih-me-yah Tih-he-yeh), Proverbs 12:24. Chapter 12 of the Proverbs discusses the distinctions between wisdom and foolishness. The hidden wisdom in the phrase “And deceit shall be” may refer to both the deceit associated with polluting the environment and the deceit associated with false gestures to clean it up. The next word in this verse from Proverbs 12:24 is “melt.” It is well known that the deceit in our treatment of the earth and sky has lead to the melting of our glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost. (Note: The Gematria of the Hebrew term for “And deceit” (Oo-rih-me-yah) is 261. It is interesting that 261 generates three specific and unique Hebrew letters that can be used to form two key words: “forbidden” (Aw-soor) and “poison” (Eress). Does this not precisely describe 112 Chapter 11 our deceitful treatment of the environment? In addition, the term “The commandments” (Hadevarim), from Exodus 34:28, also has a Gematria of 261. This is a reminder that we can choose to follow either the commandments or a path of deceit, but not both.) Message 24: “Malignant” (Mom-eret) from The Complete Hebrew Eng- lish Dictionary, by Reuben Alcalay. As we continue to pollute our earth and sky, “malignant” describes ever more aspects of our behavior and the consequences. Message 25: Anti-Torah (Ante Torah), a phrase generated by taking the Hebrew word for “anti” (a 70 numerical value) and adding it to Torah (611), because 70 + 611 = 681. The message here seems clear, that those who claim to be religious should take note: If you ignore environmental problems, you are absolutely against the teachings of the Bible. Message 26: “Temporary” or “haphazard” (Ah-rah-eet), from The Com- plete Hebrew English Dictionary, by Reuben Alcalay. This warns us that most actions taken to help the environment provide only a temporary fix. This is because more decisive and permanent action would be more expen- sive and difficult. Therefore, we merely pretend to address the problem. Message 27: “Pretend” (Mit-a-mere), from The Complete Hebrew Eng- lish Dictionary, by Reuben Alcalay. Sadly, most any action we take, or legislation we pass, to help the environment only pretends to address the problem. Message 28: “The rats themselves shall be prey” (Ha-ach-barim Hame Tereph), from The Complete Hebrew English Dictionary, by Reuben Alca- lay. This metaphor refers to us, the human beings, as rats! This is because “rat” as a slang term refers to a liar, an evildoer, or a contemptible person. In addition, “rat” refers to a consuming, filthy, and aggressive animal. This message implies that we humans, who have preyed upon and polluted so much of the planet, now find ourselves falling prey to the toxicity and climate changes that we ourselves caused. Message 29: “In the sea none remain of them” (Bayam Lo Nishar Ba- hem), Exodus 14:28. Out of context of the Book of Exodus, we can interpret this message as referring to the dramatic collapse of most species of fish and marine life due to pollution and overfishing. We are well on the way to manifesting this message. How prescient is the Bible? Note: In the above phrase, if we substitute the Hebrew word for “land” (Adamah) for the word for “sea” (Yam), the numerical value of the resulting phrase remains 681. This is because the Hebrew words for “land” and “sea” have the same numerical value. Therefore the phrase “On [land] none remain of them” (Ba-adamah Lo Nishar Bahem) also has a numerical value of 681. Because the populations of tigers, lions, most birds, bees, and other species have decreased so dramatically, this message is also quite appropriate. The Environment 113

Written Hebrew has no letters for vowels; the vowel sounds are indicated by dots below, above, or to the side of the letters. (The original Bible had no dots; the rabbis added them later, for clarity.) Therefore it is possible, by changing only the dots, for one word to have two or more different meanings and still retain its numerical value. There is a phrase from the Book of Genesis that has three possible meanings. Each one has a numerical value of 681 and appears to refer to the environment. Message 30A: “People are shepherds of” (Anashim Ro-ay), Genesis 46:32. Out of context, this encourages people to be shepherds or stewards of the earth. Message 30B: “People are friends of” or “People are My friends” (Ana- shim Ray-ee), Genesis 46:32. This tells us that when we are shepherds, we are God’s partners and friends. Message 30C: “People are excrement” (Anashim R’ee), Genesis 46:32. This tells us that when we just consume and digest the earth’s bounty, we are considered like dung. The next two messages have the identical spelling but different transla- tions and appear to refer to the choice between being stewards of the earth or just consuming its resources. Message 31: Steward of the earth (So-chenet Ha-olam); this phrase was found by translating the English phrase “Steward of the earth” into the He- brew equivalent. It suggests that we have the choice to be caretakers of the world or to face the consequences. It is up to us. Message 32: Endangered of the world (Sa-ka-note Ha-olam). This seems to refer to the endangered species of the world, which may soon include the human species.

MESSAGES OF WISDOM

How is the care of the environment connected to God and the commandments? The following messages all directly or indirectly refer to God or the commandments. Message 33: “I rejoice” (Sass Anochi), Psalm 119:162. The verse states: “I rejoice at Your [God’s] word.” The hidden message seems to suggest a causation: that listening to the word of God and saving the environment will cause us to rejoice. Message 34: “And I shall remove” (V’Ha-see-ro-tee), Exodus 23:25. The full phrase states: “And I [God] shall remove sickness from your midst.” Because this phrase has a value of 681, the same value as “healing of,” it suggests that worldwide healing may happen if all nations work together in repairing the environment. 114 Chapter 11 DOES GOD THINK THAT CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS IMPORTANT?

Whatever your religion, the following seven messages are reminders that the care of the environment is actually part of one’s religious and spiritual practice. A repeating theme in the Bible is that the observance of a law or tradition is not considered sufficient on its own but must be accompanied with acts of kindness. The following messages reveal that the care of the environment is as much a priority as acts of kindness or even the Ten Com- mandments. Message 35: “Keep the commandment” or “Observe the commandment” (Shomer Mitzvah), Proverbs 19:16. The full verse states: “He that keeps the commandment shall keep his soul; but he that despises [God’s] ways shall die.” This message makes care for the environment equivalent to a commandment that we all must keep. Message 36: “Observes the faith” or “Keeps the faith” (Shomer Eh-moo- nim), Isaiah 26:2. This goes beyond the previous message, “Keep the commandment,” and makes the care of the environment equivalent to observing one’s faith or religion. Message 37: “For behold the Lord God of Hosts” (Key He-nay Ha-Adon A-donai Tz’va-ote), Isaiah 3:1. This verse continues with a warning, that if we do not alter our ways, we will endure the “removal of all support of bread and all support of water.” The message may also hint that, regardless of how we treat the environment in the future, we are on a path of beholding God. If we unite to heal the planet, we may behold a beneficent God, but if we continue our selfish ways, we may witness divine wrath. There are some religions where individuals do not worship God but do believe that the earth itself is holy. The following message reveals that God as creator of the earth and the Bible also considers the earth holy. Message 38: “The earth that you stand upon” (O-made Aw-lawv Ahd- mot), Exodus 3:5. In this section of the Book of Exodus, God introduces Himself to Moses and instructs him that he must remove his shoes because the ground upon which Moses is standing is holy. For Moses, being made aware that the earth is holy is fundamental and the first step in his relationship with God. Perhaps this message is pointing us toward a similar path: honoring the earth’s holiness and treating it with respect will build our relationship with God. Message 39: “For my eyes are always toward God” (Ainai Tamid El A- donai Ki), from Psalm 25:15. Again, this message connects our relationship to God with our relationship to the environment. Message 40: “What God asks from you” or “What God demands from you” (Mah A-donai Doe-resh Mim-cha), Micah 6:8. The Torah and the entire Bible are filled with laws, statutes, and directives from God. How could The Environment 115 anyone know where to start? That the message “What God asks from you” has the numerical value of 681, the same as “earth + sky,” may imply that the minimum requirement of any decent person is to show respect for the environment. Otherwise we will face the consequences. Message 41: “Person of Integrity” (Ish Shalem), taken from Menachot 73b (words not consecutive). This describes someone who works to heal the world. We can summarize our environmental situation quite simply: either we will be intelligent and take appropriate actions or we will continue our indifferent and deceptive policies. The final two messages reflect this choice. Message 42: “Surely that great nation is a wise and intelligent people” (Rok Ahm Cha-cham V’navone Ha-goy Ha-gadol Ha-zeh), Deuteronomy 4:6. In this section of the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses tells the Israelites that if they observe God’s commandments the nations will consider them intelligent. Because the numerical value of the above phrase is equal to “Sky [and] Earth” it connects the environment with the commandments. In addition, it implies that only nations that take positive action regarding the environment are to be considered wise and discerning. Message 43: “Shall eat well or the soul of the treacherous [shall eat] violence” (Yochal Tov V’Nefesh Bogdim Chamas), Proverbs 13:2. This tells us that, as a consequence of our actions concerning the environment, the world will either eat well and thrive or eat violence and destroy itself.